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America’s Best & Worst Jobs for 2013

You’re in college and it’s time to declare a major. You can pick your dream job and just go for it, or you can make a more informed decision and investigate the job itself.

CareerCast just came out with its annual poll of the Best and Worst jobs of 2013. Two hundred jobs were ranked by various factors including income, stress, physical demands and job outlook. The clear winners fell in to two categories, healthcare and technology.

Computer-systems analysts offer a promising career. These analysts monitor systems used at companies and make recommendations to the boss. The pay stands at about $78 ,000 and due to constant changes in technology, this job always seems to be in demand.

Dental hygienists score high on the list, with a salary of about $68,000. Essential to most dentists, hygienists help with everything in the office, including cleanings and exams. It’s known to be a career with a flexible schedule and low stress.

Topping the list is an “actuary.” If you’re skilled in math and statistics, this might be the best career choice for you. It’s an actuary’s job to figure out when something is going to happen, from when a person might need insurance to when they’ll tap in to their IRA. Income stands at about $87,000 and the need for actuaries is high.

Now, on the bleaker side of things, a few of the least promising careers include flight attendant, mail carrier and newspaper reporter.

Flight attendants always had a stressful job, and now, due to restructuring in the industry, there is a very poor hiring outlook.

Even with their dedication of delivering mail in the rain, sleet, snow or hail, more mail carrier positions are being deleted rather than created. Emails and texting have brought the decline of “snail mail” so low, that Saturday deliveries may be canceled. Salary stands at $53,000 a year.

Finally, the number-one “worst” job on the list is newspaper reporter. Once considered exciting and sexy, the low-paying, high-stress job now has workers bearing the extra burden of knowing their paper may consolidate or fold at any time. Digital media is where most Americans get their news.